The WNBA returned from a 2 1/2-week break for the FIBA World Cup for one more week of regular-season league games before the play-offs begin.

The final push for play-off seeding began Thursday with five contests, and the Atlanta Dream picked up right where they left off before the break with a 103-59 thrashing of the visiting Connecticut Sun for their sixth victory in seven games.

Angel Reese led the way, compiling 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting and 10 rebounds for her WNBA-record 30th double-double, and the fourth-place Dream (27-14) remained one game back of third-place Las Vegas (28-13), as the Aces trounced the last-place Seattle Storm (8-33), cruising to a 114-77 victory.

Jackie Young tied a WNBA record for points in a quarter with 22 in the first period and finished with a career-high 35 to lead the Aces to a fourth straight win.

A'Ja Wilson added 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists as Las Vegas had its highest-scoring game since July 4, 2021, when it set a franchise record in a 118-95 win over Atlanta.

 

ALL-WNBA JACK. HOW 'BOUT THAT.

35 PTS (career-high)
67% FG
5 AST
4 3PM@JackieYoung3 // #ALLINLV pic.twitter.com/i9xDt8Mj2H

— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) September 18, 2026

Washington (25-16) and Dallas (25-16) also stayed deadlocked in sixth place in the standings, as the Mystics went to Chicago and crushed the Sky 110-80 and the Wings dominated the visiting Los Angeles Sparks (15-26) in a 97-77 win.

The Phoenix Mercury (15-26) also beat the Portland Fire (16-25), rallying for a 94-91 win in a matchup between two teams already eliminated from play-off contention.

In Atlanta, Rhyne Howard set a WNBA single-season record with 129 3-pointers. She entered the game tied with Sarina Ionescu's record from 2023, and didn't break the mark until 6:45 remained in the fourth quarter, when she made her only 3-ponter on her ninth attempt.

 

YOUR 3PT QUEEN HAS ARRIVED

Rhyne Howard has officially claimed her spot tonight, setting the WNBA record for THE MOST THREE-POINTERS in a single season. The milestone comes in just 40 games!

The best of the best is in Atlanta, people pic.twitter.com/VBm29ZpFqS

— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) September 18, 2026

Howard finished with 10 points, as did Allisha Gray, who broke her own franchise record for points in a season with 782.

Dallas won its fifth straight game to tie its franchise record for wins in a season set by the 2003 Detroit Shock.

Paige Bueckers paced the Wings with 19 points and Jessica Shepard tallied 13 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for her league-high fifth triple-double of the season.

In Chicago, the Mystics were led by Shakira Austin's 20 points while Kiki Iriafen contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds as Washington won for the fourth time in five games while sending the Sky (15-26) to a fourth straight defeat.